Moore County suffers its first COVID-19 related death

On Sunday, Moore County experienced its first coronavirus related death. The case was linked to another confirmed positive of which out-of-state travel was found to be the source of infection. All told, to date, Moore County has had 18 confirmed positive cases since charting its first on March 18.

In addition, of four new positive cases confirmed over the weekend, one of those cases has been linked to an assisted living facility. The Moore County Health Department will be working closely with the facility and FirstHealth of the Carolinas to test all the facility’s residents and staff for COVID-19.

To protect privacy, no further information about the individuals who have tested positive will be shared. Moore County Health Department staff are monitoring the individuals who tested positive and will follow up with anyone who is identified as a close contact. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines “close contact” as being within six feet for 10 minutes or more.

The Moore County Health Department continues to urge all residents to take measures to reduce the spread of coronavirus:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use analcohol-based hand sanitizer.• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.• Stay home, especially if you are sick.• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

The Moore County Health Department is strongly urging individuals to follow the CDC’s latest recommendation to wear cloth face coverings in public to help further slow the spread of coronavirus. Cloth face coverings can be fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure.

Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.

The cloth face coverings recommended are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators. Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidance.

Health officials also encourage everyone to implement social distancing measures to reduce frequency of contact, like maintaining six feet of distance, avoiding crowds, and staying home to the greatest extent possible. This is important for everyone and especially those at high risk of severe illness, specifically anyone over 65 years old or anyone who has an underlying health condition like heart disease, lung disease, diabetes or a weakened immune system. Further, individuals in this high-risk category should take extra care to be mindful of the recommendations and directives from State and local government in order to avoid exposure.